Modi: Digital India Now a Mass Movement
On 10th anniversary of Digital India, PM hails it as a revolution that bridged the digital divide and transformed governance, economy, and innovation.
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2025-07-01 06:40 GMT
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asserted that the “Digital India” initiative, launched a decade ago, has bridged the digital divide between the haves and have-nots and democratised opportunity, transforming into a people’s movement. In a LinkedIn post, he noted that while decades were spent doubting Indians’ ability to use technology, his government reversed that mindset and placed its trust in citizens’ digital skills.
Modi pointed out that India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, from Aadhaar, CoWIN, and DigiLocker to FASTag, PM-WANI, and One Nation One Subscription, is now studied and adopted globally. “CoWIN enabled the world’s largest vaccination drive, issuing 220 crore verifiable certificates. DigiLocker, with 54 crore users, hosts over 775 crore documents securely.”
Modi emphasised that India’s digital economy is empowering MSMEs and small entrepreneurs as never before. “ONDC has crossed 200 million transactions, with the last 100 million in just six months. From Banarasi weavers to bamboo artisans in Nagaland, sellers now reach customers nationwide without middlemen or digital monopolies.”
“Ten years ago, we embarked on a bold journey into uncharted territory with great conviction,” Modi wrote. “While decades were spent doubting Indians’ ability to use technology, we changed this approach and trusted our people. While many believed technology would deepen the gap between the haves and have-nots, we used it to eliminate that divide.”
He added that when intent is right, innovation empowers the less privileged: “When the approach is inclusive, technology brings change to those on the margins. This belief laid the foundation for Digital India: a mission to democratize access, build inclusive digital infrastructure, and create opportunities for all.”
Modi recalled that in 2014, internet penetration was limited, digital literacy was low, and most government services were offline. “Many doubted whether a country as vast and diverse as India could truly go digital. Today, that question is answered not just in data and dashboards, but in the lives of 140 crore Indians. From governance to education, transactions to entrepreneurship, Digital India is everywhere.”
He noted that in 2014 India had around 25 crore internet connections; today, that number exceeds 97 crore. “Over 42 lakh km of optical fibre cable, equivalent to 11 trips from Earth to the Moon, now connect even the most remote villages.”
Highlighting India’s rapid 5G rollout, he said 4.81 lakh base stations were installed in just two years, bringing high-speed internet to urban hubs and forward military posts alike, including Galwan, Siachen, and Ladakh.
“India Stack, our digital backbone, has enabled platforms like UPI, which now handles more than 100 billion transactions a year. Nearly half of all real-time digital transactions occur in India,” he added.
Through Direct Benefit Transfer, over ₹44 lakh crore has been credited directly to citizens, cutting out middlemen and saving ₹3.48 lakh crore in leakages. “Schemes like SVAMITVA have issued over 2.4 crore property cards and mapped 6.47 lakh villages, ending years of land-related uncertainty,” he noted.
He also highlighted GeM, the Government E-Marketplace, which enables individuals to sell goods and services to all government arms, thereby empowering sellers and saving public funds.
“Imagine this: You apply for a Mudra loan online. Your creditworthiness is assessed through an account aggregator framework. You receive your loan and start your venture. You register on GeM, supply to schools and hospitals, and then scale up via ONDC,” he said.
Through India’s G20 Presidency, the Global DPI Repository and a US$25 million Social Impact Fund were launched, helping nations across Africa and South Asia build inclusive digital ecosystems.
He further noted that India ranks among the top three startup ecosystems, with over 1.8 lakh startups. “This is more than a startup movement; it is a tech renaissance. India leads in AI skill penetration and talent concentration among our youth.”
Looking ahead, Modi said, “We are moving from digital governance to global digital leadership, from India-first to India-for-the-world. Digital India has become a people’s movement. It is central to building an Aatmanirbhar Bharat and making India a trusted innovation partner.”
“To all innovators, entrepreneurs, and dreamers: the world is looking to India for the next digital breakthrough. Let us build what empowers. Let us solve what truly matters. Let us lead with technology that unites, includes, and uplifts.”